Analyzing and forecasting under-5 mortality trends in Bangladesh using machine learning techniques.

<h4>Background</h4>Under-5 mortality remains a critical social indicator of a country's development and economic sustainability, particularly in developing nations like Bangladesh. This study employs machine learning models, including Linear Regression, Ridge Regression, Lasso Regre...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shayla Naznin, Md Jamal Uddin, Ishmam Ahmad, Ahmad Kabir
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317715
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1823856795092779008
author Shayla Naznin
Md Jamal Uddin
Ishmam Ahmad
Ahmad Kabir
author_facet Shayla Naznin
Md Jamal Uddin
Ishmam Ahmad
Ahmad Kabir
author_sort Shayla Naznin
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Under-5 mortality remains a critical social indicator of a country's development and economic sustainability, particularly in developing nations like Bangladesh. This study employs machine learning models, including Linear Regression, Ridge Regression, Lasso Regression, Bayesian Ridge, Decision Tree, Gradient Boosting, XGBoost, and CatBoost, to forecast future trends in under-5 mortality. By leveraging these models, the study aims to provide actionable insights for policymakers and health professionals to address persistent challenges.<h4>Methods</h4>Data from the 1993-94 to 2017-18 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) was analyzed using advanced machine learning algorithms. Key metrics, including Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), R-squared, and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), were employed to evaluate model performance. Additionally, k-fold cross-validation was conducted to ensure robust model evaluation.<h4>Results</h4>This study confirms a significant decline in under-5 mortality in Bangladesh over the study period, with machine learning models providing accurate predictions of future trends. Among the models, Linear Regression emerged as the most accurate, achieving the lowest MAE (4.05), RMSE (4.56), and MAPE (6.64%), along with the highest R-squared value (0.98). Projections indicate further reductions in under-5 mortality to 29.87 per 1,000 live births by 2030 and 26.21 by 2035.<h4>Conclusions</h4>From 1994 to 2018, under-5 mortality in Bangladesh decreased by 76.72%. While the Linear Regression model demonstrated exceptional accuracy in forecasting trends, long-term predictions should be interpreted cautiously due to inherent uncertainties in socio-economic conditions. The forecasted rates fall short of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 25 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030, underscoring the need for intensified interventions in healthcare access and maternal health to achieve this target.
format Article
id doaj-art-0336d553400d43959b28b5d24e171833
institution Kabale University
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-0336d553400d43959b28b5d24e1718332025-02-12T05:31:04ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01202e031771510.1371/journal.pone.0317715Analyzing and forecasting under-5 mortality trends in Bangladesh using machine learning techniques.Shayla NazninMd Jamal UddinIshmam AhmadAhmad Kabir<h4>Background</h4>Under-5 mortality remains a critical social indicator of a country's development and economic sustainability, particularly in developing nations like Bangladesh. This study employs machine learning models, including Linear Regression, Ridge Regression, Lasso Regression, Bayesian Ridge, Decision Tree, Gradient Boosting, XGBoost, and CatBoost, to forecast future trends in under-5 mortality. By leveraging these models, the study aims to provide actionable insights for policymakers and health professionals to address persistent challenges.<h4>Methods</h4>Data from the 1993-94 to 2017-18 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) was analyzed using advanced machine learning algorithms. Key metrics, including Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), R-squared, and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), were employed to evaluate model performance. Additionally, k-fold cross-validation was conducted to ensure robust model evaluation.<h4>Results</h4>This study confirms a significant decline in under-5 mortality in Bangladesh over the study period, with machine learning models providing accurate predictions of future trends. Among the models, Linear Regression emerged as the most accurate, achieving the lowest MAE (4.05), RMSE (4.56), and MAPE (6.64%), along with the highest R-squared value (0.98). Projections indicate further reductions in under-5 mortality to 29.87 per 1,000 live births by 2030 and 26.21 by 2035.<h4>Conclusions</h4>From 1994 to 2018, under-5 mortality in Bangladesh decreased by 76.72%. While the Linear Regression model demonstrated exceptional accuracy in forecasting trends, long-term predictions should be interpreted cautiously due to inherent uncertainties in socio-economic conditions. The forecasted rates fall short of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 25 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030, underscoring the need for intensified interventions in healthcare access and maternal health to achieve this target.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317715
spellingShingle Shayla Naznin
Md Jamal Uddin
Ishmam Ahmad
Ahmad Kabir
Analyzing and forecasting under-5 mortality trends in Bangladesh using machine learning techniques.
PLoS ONE
title Analyzing and forecasting under-5 mortality trends in Bangladesh using machine learning techniques.
title_full Analyzing and forecasting under-5 mortality trends in Bangladesh using machine learning techniques.
title_fullStr Analyzing and forecasting under-5 mortality trends in Bangladesh using machine learning techniques.
title_full_unstemmed Analyzing and forecasting under-5 mortality trends in Bangladesh using machine learning techniques.
title_short Analyzing and forecasting under-5 mortality trends in Bangladesh using machine learning techniques.
title_sort analyzing and forecasting under 5 mortality trends in bangladesh using machine learning techniques
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317715
work_keys_str_mv AT shaylanaznin analyzingandforecastingunder5mortalitytrendsinbangladeshusingmachinelearningtechniques
AT mdjamaluddin analyzingandforecastingunder5mortalitytrendsinbangladeshusingmachinelearningtechniques
AT ishmamahmad analyzingandforecastingunder5mortalitytrendsinbangladeshusingmachinelearningtechniques
AT ahmadkabir analyzingandforecastingunder5mortalitytrendsinbangladeshusingmachinelearningtechniques